Out Where the Buses Don't Run
"Out Where The Buses Don't Run" is the third episode of Miami Vice's second season. The episode premiered on October 18, 1985. Summary Solving an old drug case depends on a mentally unstable ex-Vice cop. Plot Crockett and Tubbs are watching Manuel "Skates" Santino, a rollerskating drug dealer, on the beach. While waiting to move in Crockett mentions that he feels as though he's being watched, and indeed, someone is taking pictures of them from a nearby building. When Crockett and Tubbs move in to bust Skates, he tries to take off but is stopped by a bible-swinging disciple of the Rev. Marvelle Quinn (Little Richard), who is preaching the gospel in the beachfront park. Hank Weldon (Bruce McGill) walks into OCB and introduces himself to everyone like he works there, and shows Crockett and Tubbs the pictures he took of them. Crockett recognizes him as an ex-Vice cop that he heard about while he was up-and-coming. Weldon says the person they are looking for is Tony Arcaro, a big-time drug dealer, who Skates and another dealer they're chasing - Freddie Costanza - are working for. Arcaro disappeared five years ago - after he was famously acquitted on a technicality - and is presumed dead, but his body was never found. Castillo wants Weldon checked out and Tubbs pulls his jacket. They find tons of commendations, but also that he quit the force in 1979, and that his partner, Marty Lang is now working a federal job. Weldon tells them that when Arcaro disappeared Costanza took over his dealings, with Ray Pinchada as his lieutenant, and that Pinchada is going to have Costanza hit at lunch the next day at The Ocean Club, on the orders of Arcaro. Tubbs stops by Crockett's boat and admits to having weird dreams about Weldon. They stop by Lang's (David Strathairn) office. Lang tells them that Weldon got a medical discharge instead of quitting; he was obsessed with Arcaro, building a case against him over three years, and suffered a breakdown when Arcaro got off. His wife Lorraine, who loved him deeply, moved away and changed her name. Crockett and Tubbs feel Lang is hiding something, but don't know what. When they come out, Weldon is sitting on the hood of Tubbs' car. He asks if Lang told them he was crazy, and after throwing a fit when his help is rejected, takes Crockett and Tubbs to his house to meet Lorraine - Weldon's computer, which shows pictures of Constanza, Pinchada, and Bernie Wingo, who retained Arcaro product until he disappeared, right after Arcaro. Weldon goes from calm to irrational without much provocation, screaming that he wants Arcaro, and then begging to go to lunch at The Ocean Club to watch the hit on Constanza. Before leaving, Tubbs takes the disk out of Lorraine. At'' The Ocean Club'', Crockett checks the reservation list and finds there is no Constanza scheduled for lunch. Weldon asks them to turn around and there Constanza is, dining. The hit goes down, just as Weldon said; Crockett chases and shoots the hitman down, then they arrest Weldon. At OCB, Castillo wonders if Weldon really is rational, as everything he has said has come true, and decides to release him. Switek hooks up a computer for Crockett and Tubbs to have a conversation with Lorraine. After going through several password attempts, they get into the program. Weldon is on the St. Vitus Dance and says that while he was in jail, Stilts(y) O'Brien (a lightweight dealer per Crockett) had to get out of jail today to meet up with Wingo and Pinchada tomorrow for a big drug deal. Tubbs calls Castillo and they decide to go with Weldon on this. The Vice squad set up surveillance at a Stiltsville house, where again, just as Weldon predicted, the particulars show up via boat. Castillo orders everyone to move in. The dealers are either killed or arrested, but Weldon storms into the house-on-stilts screaming, "Tony, TONY!" and "What am I gonna tell Lorraine?!" when he realizes Arcaro isn't there. While sleeping at the office Castillo gets a call from Weldon, telling him it's over with him and Lorraine and he's getting out. Crockett and Tubbs go to Weldon's house to find Lorraine destroyed and no sign of Weldon. Weldon calls again, saying he has Arcaro, and gives an address. Castillo sends Crockett and Tubbs to go meet Weldon; when Tubbs asks for backup, Castillo tells him he knows what he needs. Crockett and Tubbs go to an abandoned apartment complex, and Weldon shows them Arcaro's remains inside a wall, dressed just as he was on the day of his acquittal. Castillo arrives with Lang. Crockett accuses Lang of knowing the entire time, and Lang doesn't deny it, saying he helped Weldon build the wall, because he was loyal to his partner. Crockett reaches into the wall and pulls out the infamous newspaper Arcaro was holding when he was released. Cast *Don Johnson as Metro-Dade Detective James "Sonny" Crockett *Philip Michael Thomas as Metro-Dade Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs *Saundra Santiago as Metro-Dade Detective Gina Calabrese *Michael Talbott as Metro-Dade Detective Stan Switek *John Diehl as Metro-Dade Detective Larry Zito *Olivia Brown as Metro-Dade Detective Trudy Joplin *Edward James Olmos as Metro-Dade Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo Guest Stars *Bruce McGill as Hank Weldon *David Strathairn as Marty Lang *Little Richard as Rev. Marvelle Quinn Co-Starring *Sandra Pereiro as Girl With Bible *Scott Randolph as Manuel "Skates" Santino Notes * Castillo gives his classic staredown to Weldon before he reluctantly shakes his hand. * This episode is loosely based on a true story that occurred in Miami in the 1970s. * Baba O'Riley (used in the opening) is the theme to CSI: New York. Another Who song, We Don't Get Fooled Again, is used as the theme to CSI: Miami, the current police drama set in Miami (but filmed in Long Beach, California). * We see Castillo sleeping at OCB for the first time here. He does this periodically throughout the series, especially on really tough cases. * This episode ranked #90 on a top 100 all-time TV episode list by TV Guide in 1997. It was the only Miami Vice episode ranked. * Jan Hammer's music used in "The Home Invaders" is present throughout the show, especially in the scenes involving Weldon. * The climactic scene where Crockett and Tubbs drive to 102 South Waters shares many similarities with the "In The Air Tonight" scene from the pilot. Both songs feature contemporary music, silent background, and emphasis on the Daytona's engine sounds. * The aforementioned final scene is rated by many Miami Vice fans as one of the most moving of the whole series, as it shows the previously comic relief character of Weldon to be genuinely disturbed, accompanied by haunting music from Dire Straits. * The shootout in Stiltsville marks the appearance of Crockett's new boat, a 1985 Wellcraft SCARAB 38' KV. Music *"Baba O'Riley" by The Who (Opening sequence on beach with Skates) *"Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits (End sequence where Crockett & Tubbs go to the building to meet Weldon) Quotes *"Nice work with The Book!" -- Crockett to the Bible-wielding girl who took down Skates *"He may be out where the buses don't run, but the information is correct." -- Tubbs, about Weldon *"You know the man who puts $5 worth of quarters in the juke, hits J-50 over and over again? Arcaro is Weldon's J-50." -- Lang *"Did you smell his (Lang's) sweat, had a definite panic flavor." -- Tubbs *"Yeah, I helped him build the wall. He was my partner, you understand? You understand?!" -- Lang admitting to Crockett he knew Weldon had murdered Arcaro Category:Miami Vice Season 2 Episodes